Welcome to Maharani Weddings

 
There is just something enchanting about this Indian wedding fairytale. The lighting. The linens. The flowers. All three bring this reception together magically. So, here is a little secret that is essential for all Indian brides to be.  Because of the large guest count/table count, tall floral centerpieces add up frighteningly fast.  By intermixing 2 or 3 lower, more cost effective centerpieces, along side the taller, more expensive centerpieces, you still get the big bang look without the big spiraling out of control. Work with your designers and look at funky, cool, low centerpieces that are more architectural and less floral. Think about using candles or even floating a few flowers in colored water. This will save you a ton in the end!

Roses, roses, everywhere!  If you thought that yesterday’s ceremony had tons of red and romance, wait until you see today’s reception.  The outrageously talented Nikki Khan, of Exquisite Events, took a very standard ballroom and gave it her signature old world charm, instead of letting it look, well, just old.

From Nikki : The hotel ballroom is very dated and has chandeliers that look very 80’s.  We wanted the guests eyes to be drawn away from them and therefore we focused heavily on lighting.  The Room was washed in gold with gold linens and to give a pop of color, flowers were done in shades of reds. There were three floral scapes and the room came together beautifully with a custom gold dance floor, a beautiful stage, and custom bars. 

Okay, and take a deep breath and feast your eyes on the cake.  It is like wedding cake heaven! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 layers! Count ‘em!

 
Congratulations to Poonam & Dev, and thank you to Exquisite Events and Harvard Photography for this submission!

Exquisite Events, Robles Video and Shirvan Designs are part of The Platinum Guide.  For more details on how to become a member of The Platinum Guide, please click here.

 
 
Unequivocally, the universal flower of love is the red rose.  So, it seems to make perfect sense that a couple declare their love, and become husband and wife, in a mandap adorned with red roses.  The soft and simple drapery help create the whimsical structure. The bursts of roses are simple, yet chic. Together they have an easygoing style, so you can feel the romanace in the air.  It’s a ten!

 
 
Okay, I know…this wedding is so delightfully charming, and we are just getting started. Wait until you see the reception tomorrow.  It is a glamorous, formal affair that would be the perfect place to wear some Cartier jewels! Ah, a girl can dream!!!

You guys know that I am fanatic about jewelry, so it was shocking to all my friends & family that it took me 3 months to finally see the Cartier exhibit in SF. If you are an SFer, like me, you absolutely must go see the blinding pieces.  The content of the collection is like a walk through history, an era of princesses, duchesses, old money royalty, and a Maharani or two! The classic gems have been dancing in my head all weekend, so I knew exactly which wedding to feature today.  Today’s Indian bride is the quintessential Maharani…traditional red bridal lengha, adorned with a gorgeous gold set, and a killer pair of kalira.

Dear Shawna  -

Help! I am competely overwhelmed by Mehndi styles! I am getting married to a Scottish guy and I love traditional style, but I am still a modern NYC girl at heart.  How do I find the right mehndi style for me?

Thanks in advance!

Sheetal

NY, NY

Thanks for your email Sheetal!

There are two things that my girlfriends squealed about when they found out I was engaged…first was, “Omg, I get to wear a sari” and “And, I get to get mehdni!”  One of my bridesmaids even asked me if she could get it on her face!  How cute was she?!

Mehndi goes hand in hand with Indian brides and Indian weddings, so to help you and all my Maharanis-to-be out, I have put together some tips on how to have your ultimate wedding mehndi.
First, choose your Style...  

1. Persian Mehndi -  Just like gently waves on the beach, Persian Mehndi has a gentle rhythm to it.  Whether you choose a swirl based design or a geometric pattern will be repetitive and meditative.

2. Middle Eastern Mehndi  - Cascading figures, accented with flowers  and open spaces adorn the shape of your hand.

3. Matching Mehndi – Your artist designs a one of a kind, original design based on the patterns of your bridal lengha.  Pretty, fabulous, huh?

4. Pakistani Mehndi – Starting from your elbows and going to the tips of your fingers, Pakistani Mehndi is total coverage with intracite designs.  For Maharanis choosing this design, look for an artist who has precise designs with fine lines, and who works very quickly! Otherwise you will be sitting for more than 4 hours!

5. Rajasthani Mehndi –  Since the state is filled with many, many cultural images, so is their mehdni! Whether you choose Ganesh Ji or a Raja & Rani you are guaranteed gorgeous designs. Just like Pakistani Mehndi, this is a full coverage look, so make sure you pick your artist carefully!

6. Glitter Mehdni – Give your mehndi a modern look with a touch of glitz and glamour!  The latest designs add crystals to mehdni giving a whole new meaning to the word bling.

For more looks take a peek at our Facebook Mehndi Look Book.

Then, choose your Artist...  

Although all Mehndi artists will tell you they can do any of these options (which has some truth to it), when you take a look at their portfolio of work, you will see a certain style to it. 

If you are an Indian bride who wants any of the full coverage Mehndi style, you must look for an artist who has precise designs with very fine lines.  The work should resemble lace, and be very, very neat.  Also, ask the artist how long that type of design takes them.  Typically it should be no more than 2 hours for your arms.

Lastly, your color...  

For the rich rust color every time here is what Maharani recommends you do:

1. Wash your hands and lightly apply Eucalyptus oil to your hands.  Just a few drops is enough, you want to create a moisturized base, so the Henna doesn’t dry out.

2. As your mehndi is being applied, have one of your bridesmaids gently tab the dry areas with a cotton ball soaked in a mixture of lemon and sugar. This prevents the Mehndi from flaking off, but just make sure it is completely dry before you start touching it!

3. The final tip is the most important one of all! Place about ten cloves on a frying pan and heat them up.  Hold your hands directly over the pan (careful not to burn yourself!)  The smoke from the cloves will make your mehndi much darker, and get you out of housework for a few days!

For traditions sake you must ask the artist to hide your groom’s name in the mehndi of your right hand.  After your have exchanged your vows, shared a first dance, and dashed off from your reception, tell your groom that you have a game for them to play.  Ask him to find his name in your mehndi…but don’t’ tell him it is all in your right hand, it’s a bit funnier that way!  And, if he finds his name and wins, you get to give him a special prize…but, I’ll leave that part to you!

Good luck and send us a picture of you as a mehndi clad Maharani!  We would love to see it!

Wishing you love, laughter & happily ever after,
 

image by Aaron Delesie

I love to hear from our readers! Drop me a note at hello@maharaniweddings.com

Today is the day that one very lucky Maharani is going to win a completely custom cardbox.  I mean, it might just be my favorite giveaway we have ever done!  It is functional and adorable all at the same time.  And, just like any good organizational gizmo it will make you wedding day an absolute breeze! No more lost envelopes, or card left in your dad’s tuxedo pocket.  With these cardboxes everything will be in-its-place!

So, I just couldn’t choose the finalists, so we are going to completely let our readers vote our winner. We have loaded ALL the entries onto the Maharani Weddings Facebook Fan Page.

To vote simply “like” the picture of your choice. (So, Facebook, right?!)

It is really that simple.  You have to become a fan to vote, and let’s all be good sports and only vote once!

Oh, and just in case we missed someone…..if you did enter the contest before 5pm PST yesterday, shoot me an email ASAP and we will get it locked and loaded.

Good luck to all our contestants!

Creating a theme gives your guest something to expect and look forward to.  It all started with these adorable lollipop table cards, from the awesome confectionary store, See’s Candies.  I always, always, always, have mixed feelings about favors.  I love the cute way they tie into the party, but what do you do with the darn thing when you get home?  So, I am always a big fan of anything edible. These candy bags hit the spot and create a festive, thematic, keepsake that your guests can munch on while fondly replaying the wedding highlights over and over again.

From Erica Rose : We loved working with Zahra's pizzazzy palette of purple, navy, and white. Zahra really wanted her guests to be able to enjoy their centerpieces at home for weeks after their wedding, so we put together a selection darling white mini dendrobium plants, in containers wrapped with dupione silk and filled with shimmery purple paper. For the buffet we used tulip magnolia which created a huge splash of purple lor, and her bouquet featured grape hyacinth which brought in the blue, sparkly lavender ribbon, and white cymbidium orchids to tie it all together. We were really goo-goo over that bouquet! It was just stunning!

Congrats to the lovely couple! And, thank you to Erica Rose Designs and Planning Elegance for this wedding submission and Lynds Photo for the incredible shots!